Employers believe 401k advice and education are more important than ever
A recent released survey by Charles Schwab and the CFO Research Services focused on the opinions of senior finance and HR executives regarding the health and quality of their 401(k) plan. It revealed some pretty powerful messages around the importance of advice and education in the midst of today’s volatile financial markets. The survey conducted in March and April, when financial markets bounced off their most recent lows, revealed that:
- Eighty percent of employers think greater access to 401(k) investment advice is more important for employees now than it was a year ago.
- Two-thirds (66%) believe that making broader financial education in the workplace is more important for employees now than a year ago.
- Sixty-three percent say employee concerns over personal finances are creating a more difficult work environment.
The results of the survey convey a not-so-subtle message that past investor education efforts haven’t worked with employees – employers now think the best answer is combining education with advice. We strongly agree with this approach (it’s an approach we offer employers at Smart401k). By offering individuals the combination of specific investing advice and the opportunity to learn why that advice was appropriate for them, employees learn along the way. We believe it’s a more effective approach because it reduces the potential for ongoing uninformed investing decisions and it helps people learn about investing by investing. It’s the way most people learn best – by getting advice and education at the point in time they actually need it.
This approach hasn’t really been applied to 401(k) investing until recently and it’s about time.
Scott Revare
The summary of the survey can be found here
